ᐅ Ventilation / Air Exhaust in Passive Houses – Duct Odors / Musty Laundry Smell
Created on: 18 Mar 2018 12:27
T
tiramizu
Hello everyone,
we are really at our wit’s end and looking for expert advice regarding our wastewater problem:
We live in a passive house. Our washing machine (new) is located in the attic. It is therefore connected at the highest point of the house – the pros and cons can be debated, but please just assume that there was no other option to install the machine in this room.
For some time now, we have had the issue that the laundry sometimes smells musty, especially when washing at temperatures above 40°C (104°F). I installed a trap before the wastewater connection and raised the final attachment of the drain hose to the top edge of the washing machine. This should provide enough water seal to prevent the trap from being siphoned dry.
Since there was no ventilation on the wastewater pipe, a sanitary professional installed an air admittance valve on the same connection. This helped improve the situation, but we still have sewer odor in the bathroom, and the laundry continues to smell musty. Therefore, we cannot use washing temperatures above 40°C (104°F). We find this not only unhygienic – in our opinion, it shouldn’t be this way.
Background: The lower part of the house is divided as an independent apartment, separate from the ground and first floors where we live. The ground floor layout does not include a washing machine connection. We are therefore dependent on the space and this connection in the upper floor.
Good advice is now expensive. Does anyone have any suggestions?
we are really at our wit’s end and looking for expert advice regarding our wastewater problem:
We live in a passive house. Our washing machine (new) is located in the attic. It is therefore connected at the highest point of the house – the pros and cons can be debated, but please just assume that there was no other option to install the machine in this room.
For some time now, we have had the issue that the laundry sometimes smells musty, especially when washing at temperatures above 40°C (104°F). I installed a trap before the wastewater connection and raised the final attachment of the drain hose to the top edge of the washing machine. This should provide enough water seal to prevent the trap from being siphoned dry.
Since there was no ventilation on the wastewater pipe, a sanitary professional installed an air admittance valve on the same connection. This helped improve the situation, but we still have sewer odor in the bathroom, and the laundry continues to smell musty. Therefore, we cannot use washing temperatures above 40°C (104°F). We find this not only unhygienic – in our opinion, it shouldn’t be this way.
Background: The lower part of the house is divided as an independent apartment, separate from the ground and first floors where we live. The ground floor layout does not include a washing machine connection. We are therefore dependent on the space and this connection in the upper floor.
Good advice is now expensive. Does anyone have any suggestions?
I think the issue is related to the ventilation of the wastewater system.
Passive house = passive ventilation. This insulation craze, which is supposed to save energy, can actually cause problems... until the house ends up smelling and developing mold because of the exterior "insulation" :O
When my house was new, I also had a septic tank before it was connected to the sewer system. During the first few months, there was that same odor. You also notice this during extended warm weather periods when the drains dry out, and the residue left behind pushes up due to the heat – so thorough flushing is a must!
Passive house = passive ventilation. This insulation craze, which is supposed to save energy, can actually cause problems... until the house ends up smelling and developing mold because of the exterior "insulation" :O
When my house was new, I also had a septic tank before it was connected to the sewer system. During the first few months, there was that same odor. You also notice this during extended warm weather periods when the drains dry out, and the residue left behind pushes up due to the heat – so thorough flushing is a must!